Cooling unit for refrigerators



Sept. 22, 1931.

F. G. SLAGEL COOLING UNIT FOR REFRIGERATORS Filed April 27, 1927 4 Sheets-Sheet l @513 (kl/0k Se t. 22, 1931. F. G. S LAGEL 1,824,575

' COOLING UNIT FOR REFRIGERATORS Filed April 27, 1927 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Sept. 22, 1931. Q R G, SLAGEL 1,824,575

COOLING UNIT FOR REFRIGERATORS Filed April 27, 1927 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Hz Fig.4.

Patented Sept. 22, 193i" warren STATES :PATENT oFFicE FRANKLIN G. SLAGEL, OF BUFFALO, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOB TO FEDDERS JlIANUFAG- TUBING COMPANY INCL, OF BUFFALO, NEXV YORK, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK COOLING umr r03. nnrmonaarons Application filed April 27, 1927; Serial No. 186,878. 7

either the brine tank or the present loop tube and header type refrigerating unit and with res ect to both it has the specific advantages WlllCh will be hereinafter enumerated.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a front elevation of a cooling unit embodying my invention, part of the cooling compartment being broken away.

7 Figure 2 is a vertical transverse section of the row and spaced from one another, each loopcooling unit. Figure 3 is a side elevation of the cooling unit with parts of the tubular loops nd radiating webs broken away. Figure 4 1s a top plan view of the cooling unit.

with parts of the header and tubular loops broken away. a

In the following description the same reference characters indicate like parts in the several views of the drawings. p

a The numeral 10 represents the refrigerating compartment or cooling chamber of the unit which may be provided withltrays 11 or other equipment for holding materials which are to be cooled or frozen. Above this compartment is arranged a vaporizing header or manifold 9 which is adapted to receive and discharge the refrigerating medium by any suitable means.

On opposite sides of the coolin compartmentare arranged refri erant con uits which are connected with the eader so as to receive the refrigerant from the latter and thereby cool the compartment enclosed by the conduits. Two groups of such conduits are arranged on each side of the cooling chamber,

one group or set being referred to hereinafter as the main group or set and the other group or set as the auxiliary group or set for con- I venience of description. The set or group of main conduits comprise a plurality o tubular loops which are arranged in a longitudmal consisting of an inner upright section or arm 12 which engages with the ad acent upright side wall 13016 the cooling chamber and has its upper end 14 turne'd'inwardly and con-- nected with the lower part of the header on the corresponding side of the center of the same, an outer upright section or arm 15 arranged at a distance from the inner section 12 and transversely in line therewith and having its upper end 16 turned inwardly and connected with the header above'the up r end 14, and a return bend extending an erneath' the cooling chamber 10 and having an upper horizontal section 17 which extends below the underside of the coolin chamber and is connected at its outer en with the lower end of the inner upright section 12, a lower horizontal section 18 arranged below the upper section 17 and vertically in line therewith and connected at its outer end with .the lower end of the outer upright section 15,

and a lower upright section 19 connecting the inner ends .of the upper and lower horizontal sections 17 and 18. The outer upright section 15 of each main loop is preferably round but the inner upright section 15 of the same is preferably flattened, as shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 4, so as to permit of engaging a larger surface of this loop with the side wall of the coolin chamber and thus insure more rapid and e ective transferance of heat from the cooling chamber to the refrigeratin medium The lower upright section of t e return bend of each main loop is likewise flattened so as to permit of more readily and reliably soldering or otherwise securing the same to the upright lower section of the corresponding loop on the other side of the cooling chamber. y

.In order to retain the spaced relation of the main refrigerant tubes on one side of the cooling chamber and strengthen the structure as a whole the lower horizontal section of the several main cooling loops on one side of the coolingchamber are connected by a brace embrace the lower tube sections, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3.

Each of the auxiliary refrigerant conducting loops consists of two upright sections or arms 23, arranged side by side lengthwise of the vaporizing chamber 9 and having their upper ends 24 turned inwardly and connected with the vaporizing chamber on a longitudinal line between the points of connection between said chamber and the upper ends of the main refrigerant conducting tubes, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, and a return bend arranged underneath the cooling chamber on one side of its center and having'two horizontal sections 25 engaging transversely with the underside of the cooling chamber and having their outer ends connected w1th.the lower ends of the upright sections 23 while their inner ends are connected by a bow 26.

The upright, horizontal and bow sections of each auxiliary loop are preferably made flat so that upon engaging the respective side and bottom portion of the cooling chamber the maximum area of contact will be obtained between these members to insure the fullest transference of heat from the contents of the cooling chamber to the refrigerant in theiliary loop surround the inner arm of the adj acent main loop. I

In the preferred arrangement of the main and auxiliary loops on each side of the cooling chamber the upright sections of the auxiliary loops alternate with the inner upright sections of the main loops. Due to this an rangement of the loops the general horizon taloutline of the cooling unit on opposite longitudinal sides thereof will be of a zlg-zag character so that the coat of ice 27 which forms on the cooling loops and chamber of the unit will have the a pearance of a plurality of upright ribs whlch are spaced from each other and which are approximately of v the same thicknesses the coat of ice directly on the cooling chamber. The formation of an undue thickness of ice on the wall of the coolin, chamber is therefore prevented and i'nstea the ice coating is maintained at a uniform thickness, thereby insuring the maximum cooling efficiency of the unit.

For the purpose of still further radiating the heat away from the cooling unit the space within each main loop is filled with a radiating web or fin 28 of thin sheet metal which is secured atits edges by soldering or otherwise to the opposing surfaces of the tubular sections of each main loop. The efficiency of these webs is further increased by providing Lea refs gation with a plurality of upright projections 30, all of which serve to increase the area of the fins or webs and the capacity of absorbing heat fro'm'the surrounding atmosphere.

Qn account of arranging the upright sections of the main loops on the cooling chamber one behind the other it is possible for ice to accumulate on the cooling unit to a greater extent than has been possible heretofore Without obstructing the spaces adjacent to the cooling unit, thereby maintaining free circulation of air in the storage space of the refrigerator containing this unit.

Moreover, by so constructing each of the loops that the same is mounted only on one side of the cooling chamber the construction is simplified, assembling of the parts can be effected more conveniently, and the cost of manufacture materially reduced.

This unit is constructed of copper and brass or other suitable metal which replaces brine as a cold maintaining medium. The low temperature is produced by sulphur dioxide or a like refrigerating agent in sufiicient quantities to act as a cold maintaining substance, in fact, the sulphur dioxide acts or functions in a dual capacity in producing cold and adding mass to that of the metal of the cooling unit, by providing a storage medii um that remains cold for a considerable length of time.

This improved unit also permits of using a larger amount of refrigerant, minimizing the necessity of frequent charging. It also obviates the possibility of leaks due to corrosion from electrolytic action that obtains in tanks when brine is used. In the brine system, it is necessary to maintain a lower temperature in the bottom of the tank in order to keep the top part of the latter frosted; otherwise the condensation frequently runs over the top of the tank freezing to its lower'outside portions, clogging the space between the tank and the inner walls of the refrigerator, thus shutting off or blocking the circulation of air so essential to eiiicient refrigeration.

In the present unit, copper or other suitable metal in its solid or non-circulating state is substituted for brine to maintain a uniform temperature throughout every part of the unit, thus obviating the above disadvantages.

The tube and header type refrigerating unit heretofore used is of the flood type system operating with a pressure controlled float valve supplying liquid refrigerant from thecondenser side of the compressor to the said refrigerating unit. The type and operation of the present unit is substantially the same with the exception of the improvements and advantages mentioned.

In the former tube and header type of refrigerating units, the compressor operating cycles are considerably more frequent than with the brine tank type, because of faster vals of time, usually 4 to 5 hours.

heat transfer and lack ofcarry over, thus the shorter operating cycles cause too frequent make and break of switch starting and stopping of the motor, thereby shortening the life of both these important parts of the refrigcrating equipment. It will also be noted that with the former tube construction, the tubes are staggered and looped to the headertubes in a staggered position and do not have sufficient contact with the freezing chamber to freeze ice cubes or desserts in the trays housed in the freezing chamber in the desired inter- With high temperatures these prior tube units requlre from 6 to 8 hours to freeze the water in the trays. These units also require a considerable accumulation of frost and ice coating to shorten the operating cycles and increase the freezing time. This condition decreases the efliciency of the unit and also clogs the ice compartment, bringing about thesame disadvantage as the brine tank in shutting off the essential air circulation in the refrigerator necessary to obtain a uniform temperature.

The cooling unit forming the subject of the present invention has the following advantages: 7

By looping the tubing separately in the same vertical plane on each side of the freezingchamber at a sufficient distance on centers this allows ample space for free circulation of air even though the tubes become thickly coated with frost. The tubes are flattened| and looped on each side of the freez in g chamber in direct contact with the same,

thereby greatly shortening the time required for freezing ice cubes and" desserts over the present type unit. The tubes are provided with a copper corrugated web, thus increasing the heat transfer surfaces and strel'lgthening the'construction of the unit.

A further advantage of having separate side loops with tubes in the same vertical plane connected by-corrugated copper webs is that it permits greater ease and more rapid assembling over the continuous loop type" attaching tubes from one side of header bend-- ing around the freezing chamber and connect- .ing to the other side of said header.

loops are interchangeable, i. e. may be used In the unit of this invention these side on either right or left side of the header and freezing chamber, as shown on the drawings,

and the corrugated webs add greatly to the heat transfer, strength and general appearance of the cooling or refrigerating unit. I claim as my invention:

1. A cooling ranged over said compartment, and ahplu rality of refrigerant conducting tube loops each of which has upright sections arranged adjacent. to the same side of said compartment and both connected at their upper ends unit for refrigerators, -comprising a cooling compartment, aheader arconnected by a return bend which is arranged Y underneath said compartment, and the parts of said return bend being arranged one above another. Y

2. A cooling unit for refrigerators, comprising a cooling compartment, a header arranged over said compartment, a plurality of refrigerant conducting tube loops each of which has upright sections arranged adjacent to the sameside of said compartment and both connected at their upper ends with the same side of said header and the lower parts of said upright sections being connected by a return bend which is arranged underneath said compartment, and the parts of said/return bend being arranged one above another, and a brace connecting the' lower parts of the return bends ofthe several loops on the same side of the cooling compartment.

3. A cooling unit for refrigerators, comprising a cooling compartment, a header ar- .ranged over said compartment, and aplurality of refrigerant conducting tube loops each of which has upright sections arranged adjacent to the same side of said compartment and both connected at their upper ends with the corresponding side of said header and the lower parts of said upright sections being connected by a return bend which is arranged underneath said compartment, each return bend being engaged by a complementary return bend of a corresponding loop which depends from the opposite side of the header. I

4. A cooling unit for refrigerators, comprising'a cooling compartment, a header arranged over said compartment, a plurality of refrigerant conducting tube loops each of which has upright sections arranged adjacent to the same side of said compartment and both connected at their upper ends with thevsame side of said header and the lower parts of said upright sections being -con nected-by a return bend which is arranged -which has upright sections arranged adjacent to the same side of saidcompartment and both connected at their upper ends with the same side of said header and the lower arts of said upright sections being connected y a return bend which is arranged underneath said compartment, said upright sections being arranged transversely in line with 2 each other, and a radiating web arranged 7 within each loop and connected with the upright parts and return bend thereof.

6. A cooling unit for refrigerators, comprising a 'cooling'compartment, a header arranged above said compartment, and a plurality of refrigerant conducting tube loops each of which has upright sections arranged adjacent to the same side of said compartment and connected at their upper ends by the header and at their lower parts by a return bend which is flattened and engages with the underside of said compartment.

7. A cooling unit for refrigerators, comprising a cooling compartment, a header arranged above said compartment, and a plurality of refrigerant conducting tube loops each of which has upright sections arranged adjacent to the same side of said com artment and connected at their upper en by the header and at their lower parts by a return bend, the upright sections of each of said loops being flattened and both engaged with the outer side of said compartment, and the lower ends of said upright sections being connected by a return bend which extends underneath the compartment.

8. A cooling unit for refrigerators, comprising a cooling compartment, a header arranged above the cooling compartment and two sets of refrigerant conducting tube loops arranged on each side of said cooling compertinent, each loop of one set having up right sections or arms arranged transversely in line and connected at their upper ends with the same side of the header and having their lower ends connected by a return bend extending underneath the cooling unit, and each loop of the second set having upright sections or arms arranged in the same plane with only one of the sections or arms of the loops of the first set and surrounding said section or arm of the first set and having their upper ends connected with the same side of the header and their lower ends connected by a return bend extending underneath the cooling compartment.

In testimony whereof I hereby aflix my signature,

FRANKLIN G; SLAGEL. 

